One of the pleasures of learning to read is being able to relax with a good book. Adults enjoy choosing books about their interests, and children deserve the same courtesy. When you help your child select a book to read silently or aloud, let him choose the type of story he wishes to read. Here are some tips to keep in mind when selecting a book with your child for independent reading:

* Use annotated and graded booklists suggested by your child's teacher or a librarian. One useful list is the "Children's Choice" published yearly by the International Reading Association, 800-336-READ.

* Some schools keep graded lists of children's books. If it is possible to obtain one, compare the book you choose to books at several different levels on the list in terms of sight words, complexity of the sentences and the length of the passages on the page.

* Use the "Rule of Thumb" to help determine if a book will be just right or too difficult for independent reading. Choose a book you think may be at an appropriate level. Open it anywhere and have your child read a page or two. Put up a finger for each word the child misses. If you need your thumb before the end of the passage, the book is too hard.

* Above all, resist the urge to ask your child to sound out every word he doesn't know. Tell him the word and move on.

Pub Date: 10/25/98